


All That For A Lizard?

by Zakodia



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Lizards, M/M, Mutual Pining, Newmann Secret santa, Pets, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:49:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28424253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zakodia/pseuds/Zakodia
Summary: Newt is going on a trip and needs someone to take care of his lizard who better than...Hermann?(Or The inherent homoeroticism of asking your lab partner to look after your pet)
Relationships: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	All That For A Lizard?

“Heyyyyyyy Hermann!” Newt said as he slid up to the side of Hermann’s desk in the lab. 

“Yes, Newton?” Hermann replied barely glancing up from the calculation he was typing furiously. 

“You know how I’m going on that research trip for the next month? In like two days?” he ventured.

Oh yes, the research trip; Hermann thought to himself trying to pretend he had not thought about it everyday since Newton had forwarded him the email. From the outside it would appear that Hermann could be nothing but thrilled, the lab to himself, no kaiju guts everywhere, peace and quiet. But the truth was, loathe as he was to admit it, he wasn’t sure what he would do while Newton was gone. He didn’t really have many other people he would consider friends in the Shatterdome, acquaintances plenty, friends not so much. But Newt, Newt was truly his friend. Though he’s not sure either of them had ever said anything of the sort. They ate their meals together everyday, were the first to know if the other had to go to medical, celebrated holidays, the list went on and on in Hermann’s head. He had even gotten used to Newt’s strange working habits, the ongoing chatter as he either spoke to himself or his recorder, the banging of coffee cups and scalpels on the metal tables. All important background noise to Hermann complimenting his own incessant noise of chalk on board and clacking keyboards. But now the thought of the lab silent, for a whole month, Hermann dreaded it as the X on his calendar got closer and closer. Of course he knew Newton was going on that research trip. But he reminded himself Newt was not privy to his thoughts and he tried to keep a level of distance up between them.

“Uh Hermann? You okay there bud?” 

Hermann started and grabbed at his glasses, apparently he had been lost in his thoughts, “yes yes, the research trip Newton”

“Could you take care of my lizard while I’m gone?” he swayed from foot to foot as he spoke, obviously nervous

“Your… your lizard?!” Hermann asked, he was unaware Newt had a lizard at all, which seemed like a big thing for him to not know about. 

“Yeah! Linnaeus; he’s new so don’t worry, I got him literally right before they told me about the trip, but I probably forgot to mention it, it’s been such short notice.”

Hermann frowned. He didn’t have much experience with pets, especially lizards, and if it was Newt’s well he didn’t exactly want that responsibility. 

“Please Hermann, I promise he’s easy, and you’re the only person I trust” 

Newt—Newt trusted him? It should have been obvious but hearing it come straight from Newt made Hermann stop. 

“You’d trust _me_ with your lizard?” Hermann asked, incredulous 

“Yeah of course dude, you keep a spreadsheet of exactly how much tea and coffee we have left down to the ounce, I know you won’t forget to feed him”

“You know that spreadsheet is very important to both of us staying productive”

Newt laughed, “but you could also just look in the cabinet instead of marking down every cup, wait do you mark my cups down too?” he squinted at Hermann

“Only the ones I can see you drink”

“Note to self when I get back, drink coffee in private only, avoid spreadsheet at all costs”

“The lizard please, Newton”

“Oh yeah! Come by my room when you’re done and I’ll show him to ya, I’ve gotta keep packing so… see ya!” 

Newt hurried out of the lab leaving Hermann alone to finish his reports. He quickly finished and made his way to Newt’s room. 

Newt answered the door, looking more frazzled then usual, if Hermann didn’t know better it almost seemed like Newt didn’t want to go on this research trip. He stepped carefully into Newt’s room where it looked like his suitcase had exploded into his room and not the other way around. 

“Thanks, thanks again for coming Hermann, I really appreciate it dude, and I know Linneaus will too” 

Newt led him over to a small table near his bed and threw a pile of clothes from a chair onto the floor so Hermann could sit, which despite the mess was much appreciated. 

“Here’s the little guy,” Newt said as he reached his hand into a vertical tank, Hermann could barely see into there were so many leaves. He pulled out a much smaller lizard than Hermann had expected, light yellow with big eyes, “You should pet him!” Newt suggested, kneeling down to give Hermann a better look. Hermann reached out a careful finger and pet the creature’s head. He was fascinated, the skin was almost like velvet, not scaly at all. The lizard looked at him curiously, observing.

“He’s cute right?” Newt cooed, running his thumb under the lizards chin, Linnaeus almost looked pleased with that. 

“He is not what I expected from you.” Hermann replied, still watching the lizard; he had to admit it was a very interesting pet.

“Oh, well I’d love to have fish or a snake or a big lizard, but you know, upkeep and all that.”

“Of course” Hermann rolled his eyes, he should have figured Linneaus was a stopgap before bigger creatures.

Newt let Linneaus leap back into the tank before going over all the systems with Hermann. Everything seemed surprisingly easy and automated to Hermman’s surprise, Newt really had tried to make it as simple as possible for him. 

“I’ll bring him over to your room tomorrow, so you don’t have to come over here everyday, if that’s okay? I think he’d enjoy the company better anyways” 

Hermann nodded, there was an unusual nervousness about Newt this evening, and there was an unanswered question in the air. Would they both survive the month? 

“Newton, do you want to go on this trip?” Hermann ventured into the silence

Newt collapsed onto the bed staring at the ceiling, “no absolutely not Hermann, but they didn’t really give me a choice”

Hermann almost reached out his hand to comfort his lab partner but decided against it at the last moment, it wasn’t professional. 

“I don’t like half the people I’m going with, it's super remote, I’m not even sure what we're going to find out there and—” his rant trailed off.

“And?” 

“It’s nothing” Newt mumbled

Hermann created a silence he knew Newton hated, he knew if he just waited long enough Newt would tell him.

“I’m gonna miss you” Newton said barely above a whisper

Hermann almost thought he heard both their hearts break in the silence that followed. 

“I will miss you too.” Hermann whispered back.

Newt rolled off the bed and stood up quickly which prompted Hermann to do the same and walk towards the door.

Newt rubbed the back of his neck “Well uh lots to keep doing so I’ll just drop Linneaus off tomorrow when I have a chance, gotta keep packing I really hope I don’t forget anything” he rambled on as he walked Hermann towards the door. Hermann decided they had both decided the last minute hadn’t happened. 

“Good night Newton” Hermann turned and said as he walked out. Newt stared back at him, like he forgot the response, or wanted to say something else. He shook his head and settled for 

“Good night Herms, thanks again, for—everything” 

Hermann nodded and started to walk away, about halfway down the hall he heard a door open and then the sound of running. He turned just in time to see Newton barreling towards him. He slowed down just enough to envelope Hermann in a gentle hug without knocking him down. Hermann managed to extract his arms enough to lay them on Newt’s back while Newt almost squeezed him to death. There was nothing to be said, they both understood after years of misunderstanding. Hermann kissed the top of Newt’s head, as they broke apart.

“Be careful” he said quietly blinking back tears.

“I will”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed, kudos and comments are always appreciated! This was made for curlsandyelling on tumblr as part of a 2020 Newmann Secret Santa event! You can find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/saucykaiju) or on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/loveaintforkeeping)!
> 
> P.S Linnaeus is a crested gecko if you were curious, and yes they are strangely soft! :)


End file.
